tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post8584715353018091447..comments2024-01-01T19:49:13.788-08:00Comments on The Vigil: The Kennedy Healthcare Reform Bill ExplainedVigilantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-91426584828344429142009-08-31T14:41:51.173-07:002009-08-31T14:41:51.173-07:00Ever the ideologue. Party over people!Ever the ideologue. Party over people!Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16303771842312819728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-49793740976800683522009-08-29T18:38:08.695-07:002009-08-29T18:38:08.695-07:00I agree. We DO ration (in essence). But we have to...I agree. We DO ration (in essence). But we have to do so in a much more equitable and intelligent manner. I highly recommend Dr. Emanuel's book, "Healthcare, Guaranteed".Will "take no prisoners" Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02315659209094683602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-23624290164647982812009-08-29T17:18:53.344-07:002009-08-29T17:18:53.344-07:00As Ezra Klein has pointed out, the U.S. health-ca...As <a rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow"> Ezra Klein</a> has pointed out, the U.S. health-care system already does ration. Every system does, because resources are always going to be finite. In the U.S., the rationing is based on ability to pay.Stimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183891839987655906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-70707620580244491072009-08-29T07:01:54.967-07:002009-08-29T07:01:54.967-07:00Well done!Well done!MadMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753739401363847764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-73189473112271463902009-08-28T15:02:56.324-07:002009-08-28T15:02:56.324-07:00If this country decides that it's going to kee...If this country decides that it's going to keep (and/or expand upon) the Medicare system (and I'm perfectly persuadable here), then we're really going to have to 1) strenuously go after the abuses/fraud and 2) institute far more in terms of cost controls. We just can't continue to afford paying for new and expensive drugs/treatments that end up giving literally ZERO added benefit. Hey, I'll admit it here. Nobody likes to use the word, rationing. But that's quite O.K.. I'll say it. We need to ration.Will "take no prisoners" Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02315659209094683602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-64862040107031577362009-08-28T09:26:03.003-07:002009-08-28T09:26:03.003-07:00ThanksI had no idea where to put this link. Apolo...<a href="http://swiftspeech.blogspot.com/2009/08/capitalism-love-story.html" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Thanks</a><br><br>I had no idea where to put this link. Apologizes for any inappropriateness.Stella by Starlighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16385761338190877425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-24388408912326464762009-08-27T18:14:39.007-07:002009-08-27T18:14:39.007-07:00Sorry, Vig. This is going to be another long comm...Sorry, Vig. This is going to be another long comment, but I think this is important information so we can educate ourselves.<br><br>The only <a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.gadling.com/media/2007/07/healthcareworldbig.jpg" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">industrialized nation</a> without a health care system is The United States[but you knew that already...] This list is compiled by date.<br><br><b>Norway</b> 1912 Single Payer<br><br>New Zealand 1938 Two Tier<br><br>Japan 1938 Single Payer<br><br>Germany 1941 Insurance Mandate<br><br>Belgium 1945 Insurance Mandate<br><br>United Kingdom 1948 Single Payer<br><br>Kuwait 1950 Single Payer<br><br>Sweden 1955 Single Payer<br><br>Bahrain 1957 Single Payer<br><br>Brunei 1958 Single Payer<br><br>Canada 1966 Single Payer<br><br>Netherlands 1966 Two-Tier<br><br>Austria 1967 Insurance Mandate<br><br>United Arab Emirates<br> 1971 Single Payer<br><br>Finland 1972 Single Payer<br><br>Slovenia 1972 Single Payer<br><br>Denmark 1973 Two-Tier<br><br>Luxembourg 1973 Insurance Mandate<br><br>France 1974 Two-Tier<br><br>Australia 1975 Two Tier<br><br>Ireland 1977 Two-Tier<br><br>Italy 1978 Single Payer<br><br>Portugal 1979 Single Payer<br><br>Cyprus 1980 Single Payer<br><br>Greece 1983 Insurance Mandate<br><br>Spain 1986 Single Payer<br><br>South Korea 1988 Insurance Mandate<br><br>Iceland 1990 Single Payer <br><br>Hong Kong 1993 Single Payer <br><br>Singapore 1993 Single Payer<br><br>Switzerland 1994 Insurance Mandate<br><br>Israel 1995 Single Payer <br><br>United States <b>NONE</b> <b>NONE</b> <b>NONE</b> <b>NONE</b><br><br>In case this chart is unreadable, please <br>visit <a href="http://truecostblog.com/2009/08/09/countries-with-universal-healthcare-by-date/" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Universal Health Care</a>. Some Single Payer plans are listed as "Single Payer/Two-Tier."<br><br>Please keep this information handy when you call your Conservative representatives vocalizing your support for H.R. 676—the Kucinich Bill. I belive H.R. 3200 is aligned with Big Pharma.<br><br>******<br><br>The following information lists definitions of the various system types of Universal Health Care.<br><br>System Types:<br><br><b>Single Payer</b>: The government provides insurance for all residents (or citizens) and pays all health care expenses except for copays and coinsurance. Providers may be public, private, or a combination of both.<br><br><b>Two-Tier</b>: The government provides or mandates catrastrophic or minimum insurance coverage for all residents (or citizens), while allowing the purchase of additional voluntary insurance or fee-for service care when desired. In Singapore all residents receive a catastrophic policy from the government coupled with a health savings account that they use to pay for routine care. In other countries like Ireland and Israel, the government provides a core policy which the majority of the population supplement with private insurance.<br><br><b>Insurance Mandate</b>: The government mandates that all citizens purchase insurance, whether from private, public, or non-profit insurers. In some cases the insurer list is quite restrictive, while in others a healthy private market for insurance is simply regulated and standardized by the government. In this kind of system insurers are barred from rejecting sick individuals, and individuals are required to purchase insurance, in order to prevent typical health care market failures from arising.Stella by Starlighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16385761338190877425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-70432240252315425212009-08-27T17:40:47.989-07:002009-08-27T17:40:47.989-07:00Well, it's great if you actually listen to wha...Well, it's great if you actually listen to what is said. After watching McCain's town hall the other day most of those opposing the public option were lost in conspiratorial fantasies about allowing illegals access to the plan and continuing fears over the "death panels" wanting to put all the old people to sleep like sick dogs.<br><br>Reason has taken a holiday and if some bill isn't passed by September with the midterm campaigns cranking up we may not have any bill.Beach Bumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11000824454124236774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-52214251586814283232009-08-27T10:57:04.257-07:002009-08-27T10:57:04.257-07:00So simple, even Sarah Palin could understand it. B...So simple, even Sarah Palin could understand it. But first she'd have to listen.Stimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10183891839987655906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-53468770806882376562009-08-27T07:34:49.682-07:002009-08-27T07:34:49.682-07:00BHRAVO! That says it PERFECTLY!BHRAVO! That says it PERFECTLY!Jack Jodellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02165430903903838990noreply@blogger.com